1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates in general to golf clubs and in particular to golf putters, even more specifically to putter heads.
2. General
This general section is added to introduce the method used to study commercial putters manufactured by major golf companies and my test golf putters. The point being that all that is written here is not based on theory alone, but mainly on actual test data.
Earlier in my program, while using test putters and practicing with them, I was convinced that I had truly obtained overspin. The trouble was neither I or anyone else could see it with the naked eye. Simply stated, I couldn't prove it.
I then designed and fabricated what I call a "mechanical iron man putting system." The purpose of which was to:
a. Assure that the putter being tested struck the ball with the putter head going perfectly straight.
b. That the putter would be securely held by the grip and could be adjusted to set up the putter to assure it was positioned:
(1) Exactly perpendicular to the ground. PA1 (2) Exactly to its built-in lie position. PA1 (3) Exactly to its built-in loft position. PA1 (4) 1/16 of an inch off of the turf. PA1 (5) With a pivot point at a height as close as possible to that normally used by the average golfer. Putters are not pivoted at the top of the grip. The lower torso and head are not moved whereas the putter, hands, arms, and shoulders move in unison. This places the pivot point just below the putter's (person's) shoulders. Approximately 9 or 10 inches above the top of the putter grip.
c. Control the swingspeed of each putt so that exact data could be collected for the performance of each putter. This was accomplished using a dial indicator to control the length of the backward movement (backswing) before releasing the putter.
The putter system consisted of a 4 leg system supporting a shaft held parallel to the putting surface.
The shaft is supported by two bearing blocks and powered by two torsional springs.
Every effort was made to assure that each putter tested was indeed fairly tested and accurately recorded.
A large tube was suspended from the shaft and contained six thumb screws to secure the grip inside the tube. This allowed exact positioning of the putter to accommodate loft, lie, etc.
During testing of each putter, a camcorder was used to record the movements of the ball during the first 36 inches of ball travel. With the camcorder set at 1/1000 second shutter speed and other technical considerations, a frame by frame stop action review of each putt could be recorded and studied.
With this added capability, the design of the putter in question could be precisely controlled to obtain the ideal relationship between movement of the center of percussion and the amount of loft. These relationships are dependent upon such other factors as size, length heel to toe, shaft location, material used for manufacture and height of the face. Initial tests using extra weight above the centerline resulted in a no-spin instead of overspin. That is, the ball would neither spin forward or backward upon being hit. This is a much more desired condition since it too results in improved performance. However, with further research work, overspin was achieved. For the first time in the history of golf, airborne overspin was accomplished and recorded. The myth that so little velocity is generated when putting that there is little or no effect on ball spin has been suppressed forever. Tests prove that even a simple six (6) foot putt can spin the ball backward or sideways and now forward. We should have known this when professional golfers would claim that they hooked their putts just like their drives.
3. Description of Related Art
A golf putter consists of a shaft with a grip at the uppermost end and a head secured to the lower end of the shaft. The putter head has a flat face that is used for striking the golf ball for the purpose of moving it across the golf green in an attempt to have it fall into a 41/4 inch hole.
The individual doing the putting is faced with several problems to be solved in order to hit the ball accurately enough to have the ball either fall into the golf hole or the ball end up close enough so that the ball can be holed out on the next putt.
The putting individual believes that aligning the putter in the correct direction and hitting the ball at the right speed will overcome; the slant of the green, the turf (fast or slow) and the distance to be covered. Unfortunately, if every technical manipulation of the putter is performed perfectly the ball is not likely to hit the targeted hole. This does not happen because the operator made a mistake, it is because golf putters today have built-in inaccuracies. The putter will not move the ball accurately in the direction aimed. The inaccuracies are greater than might be expected.
In one set of putting tests performed using a mechanically accurate putting machine, the dispersion of the ball for 24 ft. putts was 251/2 inches wide. The positions where the balls terminated were well scattered. That is a dispersion of six (6) times the size of the hole (41/4 inches diameter). A betting man would say that the odds are 5 to 1 against hitting the hole.
Nearly 100% of the putters today have positive loft of from 2 to 8 degrees. Positive loft in present day putters creates backspin. Approximately half of these putters have the alignment mark misaligned with the center of percussion (CP) of the putter head. This causes sidespin.
Backspin and sidespin are built-in inaccuracies helping to make putting one of today's most difficult procedures in golf. Because putting strokes account for approximately 40 percent of a golfers total score per round (18 holes), it is one of the most important aspects of golf.
There are putters with (0) zero degrees of loft. These will either slide the ball against the turf or pinch the ball against the turf immediately upon being struck.
Mallet head putters, blade type putters, and "L" shaped putters (looking from heel to toe) with positive loft will cause the ball to lift and backspin.
"L" shaped putters that have extra weight across the bottom of the putter, usually has the weight equally divided between the toe and heel. Heel and toe weighting is primarily located across the bottom along the sole of the putter. These putters will lift even more and backspin even more.
Reference is made to Great Britain Patent Number 7550. This patent depicts eleven (11) different ways to cause the ball to be pinched against the turf to attain a different kind of overspin. This invention has negative loft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,854 also covers a putter that pinches the ball against the turf. This one, however, depends on the sharp corner of two right angles forming the face. If missing the ball with the upper sharp edge the lower sharp edge will allegedly take over and the ball will be thus pinched against the turf by the second sharp edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 258,377 is an inverted " L"shaped putter. The drawings definitely depict the face with zero (0) or no loft. I would be convinced that the putter would either slide or pinch the ball against the turf. I'm strictly using the what you see is what you get approach when an ornamental design patent is involved. If, however, positive loft were allowed, this putter would backspin in the same manner as other positively lofted putters mentioned above.
The advantages of airborne overspin over the above present day or previously patented putters shall be obvious as set forth herein.
To sum up, putters today cause the ball to either slide, be pinched against the turf, or lift and backspin.
All of these ball reactions are caused by built-in design flaws creating inaccuracies. The pinching putters are understandably not being produced. At least there seems to be none on the shelf for sale and none advertised.
Positive loft is required to lift the golf ball above the golf green turf grasses. Years ago golf greens were cut higher requiring greater positive loft. Positive loft of as much as 13 degrees was not unusual. Today golf green turf grasses, primarily due to better grasses, and other chemical advancements, are cut very short indeed. The results are golf greens that cause the ball to roll very fast. The point being that less positive loft is required today. However, golf putters still have positive loft of up to 8 degrees. Most are from 4 to 8 degrees.
Positive loft in present day putters creates backspin. 90 to 95% of present day putters have extra weight across the bottom usually equally divided between the heel and the toe. This causes the ball to lift even higher and backspin more. The distance to first bounce is increased.
A backspinning ball kicks-up or pops-up at first bounce in its attempt to reverse backspin and start to turn forward in the direction hit. Sometimes the kick-up causes the ball to jump higher than the height of the flight to first bounce. A backspinning ball creates perfect conditions for an erratic unpredictable directional and distance performance. At first bounce the irregularities of the turf under the first bounce area will cause the ball to perform an unsurmountable number of ball reactions, none of which help to predict the resulting direction or distance. The second and third and even fourth bounce can be similarly negatively effected by the balls inability to quickly settle down to a more predictable, more accurate, full rolling condition against the turf. All golf putters that cause the ball to backspin have what I call "built-in inaccuracies."
About 50% of the putters on the market today have the alignment mark usually centered on top of the putter head misaligned with the center of percussion (CP) of the head. The ball sidespins when the putter head hits the ball misaligned with the CP of the head. The worst condition is when the shaft is located in the heel of the putter head and the alignment mark is centered heel to toe. The misalignment can be as much as 3/4inch. Under these conditions the sidespin in so bad that during review of frame by frame stop action video of the ball's performance it was difficult to record the results. Such things as distance to first full turn and first bounce was made more difficult especially when mixed with backspin.
When the inaccuracies of backspin are mixed with the inaccuracies of sidespin, each bounce becomes a totally unpredictable dispersible event that no amount of practice can overcome.
One objective of the present patent is to provide a putter that eliminates built-in backspin and sidespin.
Another object is to replace backspin with built-in airborne overspin.
A further object is to assure the alignment mark is located directly over the center of percussion (CP) of the putter head. This assures the ball can be accurately aligned with the alignment mark and that sidespin or twist of the ball will not occur, human error not included.
Another object is to have change and effect result in building-in greater accuracy.
Another object is to minimize the amount of practice required to become a good putter. Because the above built-in inaccuracies have been replaced by building-in test proven accuracy, the directional dispersion of the ball has been significantly reduced. During the same putting tests described above where two (2) commercial putters dispersed 251/2 inches, the present patent test putter dispersed the ball 6 inches. The hole being 41/4 inch diameter, a betting man would say that the odds are two to one for (not against) hitting the hole. That's ten times more accurate. This inventor only claims to be two to four times more accurate since not all putters have six (6) or seven (7) degrees of loft and extra weight spread across the sole of the putter.
The overall main objective is to ultimately assure that any individual golfer; beginner, high handicapper, amateur or professional can be expected to putt more accurately using the present invention.